Separation of Pastor and State?

There are those among us today who appear to believe that the active engagement in politics by Christians, in general, and church leaders, in particular, may well mark the beginning of the end of western civilization as we know it. This attitude, enjoined primarily by the political left of America, the pundits of secularist “virtues”, provokes a tremendous level of irony when one considers the fact that world history tells the story of how Christians actively engaged in politics…BEGAN western civilization!

“What kind of country will this be if these radical Christian “theocrats” (or “fascists”, as one writer to the Sioux City Journal once remarked) take over America?!” Well, look no further than to one of those old history books describing America from 1776 to 1876, and you’ll have your answer. (Use an antique history book, because they’re “pre-revisionist,” but only if you want the truth.) We Christian “fascists” and so-called “theocrats” did a pretty remarkable job. We created the longest living constitution in world-history and the most powerful nation on earth. And we did it all without outlawing non-Christian religions or forcing citizens to worship Jesus at the tip of a sword.

The idea of “separation of church and state,” as it is defined today by liberal educators and their post-modern pupils, would have hindered the original formation of our republic, had such a view existed in the minds of our founders during the middle to late 1700s. (See the treatise entitled “Separation of Church and State” on this web-site.) Fortunately for us all, while such an idea did exist and prevail in revolutionary France, leading to the eventual death of their own constitution which lasted about one year…Oh, and did I mention that they have had 16 different “secular” constitutions since then? (What a “legacy” the secularists have left in the nation of France!) such an idea did NOT prevail in the minds of the American founders. Unbeknownst to many, numerous signers of both the Declaration and the Constitution were ordained Christian ministers with theological degrees – 24 of the 56 signers of the Declaration had seminary degrees, and 34% of the signers of the Constitution, to be exact. A far higher percentage (called a “super-majority”) identified themselves as fundamentalist “Christians.”

“Okay, okay, Preacher! So what? So many of the signers were Christian ministers with degrees in theology! What does that have to do with the Constitution? What does that mean to me in 2008? I mean, after all, it doesn’t say ‘Jesus’ anywhere in the Constitution. So what is your point, Preacher?”

I’m so glad you asked. Here’s what it DOES and SHOULD mean to you, and here’s why EVERY AMERICAN owes the CHRISTIAN religion, above all other religions, a debt of gratitude with regard to THIS country’s Constitution. Where do you think those men came up with those revolutionary ideas for the greatest Constituion in the history of mankind? Did you REALLY think they just all happened to imagine the same things? Did they bump into each other one day while strolling across the colonial frontier and say, “Hey stranger, I just had the neatest idea about how to start a new country!” Did these 55 men just dream it all up on their own? No, and I’ll be glad to show you where they got their ideas:

BIBLE LITERACY among the crafters and signers of the Constitution was, and remains to be, chiefly responsible for the formation of both the Declaration and the Constitution of the United States. This is evidenced by the following often ignored facts:

1 – The “Separation of Powers,” segregating the mostly independent authority of our three distinct branches of government, was an idea that came directly from Jeremiah 17:9. (The biblical worldview is that “all men are inherently evil.” This is in contrast to the pure secular/humanist, who believes that all men are “inherently good”. The biblical worldview revealed in Jeremiah 17:9 required “separation” of the three branches as men could not be trusted).

2 – The concept to create “three branches of government” came directly from Isaiah 33:22.

3 – The practice of honoring the most valuable organizations in our society by granting such with exemption from taxation (tax exemption for churches) finds its origin in the command of Ezra 7:24.

4 – The foundation for America’s compassionate immigration law, described in Article 1, Section 8, came from Leviticus 19:34.

5 – The eligibility for president, described in Article 12, Section 1, came from Deuteronomy 17:15.

6 – The number of witnesses required in a capital punishment case, located in Article 3, Section 3, came from Deuteronomy 17:6.

7 – The general syntax of Article 3 (specifically section 3) possesses the identical structure found in the language of Ezekiel 18:20.

The inspiration of the Holy Bible and its profound influence upon the minds of the founders of America is documented and acknowledged by all legitimate political science professors and historians. It is the work of the deceiving and shameless school book revisionists (with a left-leaning political ax to grind), who corrupt the accurate records of our rich spiritual history as a nation.

If you are REALLY SERIOUS about stripping the influence of Christianity, Christians, pastors, and the Bible out of American government, then you should begin by removing the previously listed 7 constitutional realities – the cornerstones of this nation’s existence! But before you do, ask yourself just how much you want America to emulate France. Seriously, how many constitutions could we scrap for a new one before the calendar hits 2050? Because that’s how efficient secularitst are at shaping and maintaining governments.

That said, dear reader, is it really in YOUR best interest to encourage the secularization of America? The most recent French experiment in creating a constitution (again) occured in 1958. It’s been amended 18 times since then, most recently in 2007. So if you secularists are so “fair,” and “open-minded,” and “progressive” why can’t you create at least one “above average” government? You see, although we have pleny of them, we don’t need exclusively “religious” reasons to see the value of stopping radical secularism in America. Their track record in history will do just fine, thankyou. Time would not afford us the luxury of discussing their destructive effect upon the institution of the family unit.

Despite the lessons of un-edited history, if we make a judgment based upon modern published works arguing against Christian influence in politics, I dare say that there appears to be at least one whole party, and a small portion of the other in America’s two-party system that wouldn’t have dreamed of allowing those 19 men who possessed theological degrees a chance to approach that table and handle the ink-dipped quill!

That is to all our shame as Americans, but the lionshare of that shame may well rest upon the cowardly modern-day pastors who are afraid to teach Jesus’ parable of salt and light. (Unwilling to teach it with interpretive integrity and candor, that is.)

Some have asked about my supposed agenda? All right. Fair enough! After all, everyone does have an “agenda,” don’t they? Why do I engage in the political system, when I have the occupation of pastor?

First, I believe it is the premise of that particular question that is flawed, because it is almost certainly based upon the assumption that “separation of church and state” (as it is incorrectly defined by modern activist courts) is a “good” thing. (I hope U.S. District Judge Mark W. Bennett* is reading this.) The contextually inaccurate abuse of Thomas Jefferson’s obvious intentions for the phrase “separation of church and state” is NOT a good thing! It is NEVER a good thing to distort world history for present-day expedience, political or otherwise.

While my motives are vast, they are best summarized when reduced to four basic points.

Reason #1:

Historical “authorities” in our country are peddling lies.

As a pastor, my life’s work centers upon one of the oldest history books in the world – the Bible. In my field, a growing number of church leaders are distorting historical bible truths for present-day expedience. Some mega-church leaders have proudly declared, “We don’t use the ‘S-word’” (sin).

I take issue with this form of biblical revisionism every time I teach and preach. Not unlike the verbal gymnastics necessary to expunge “sin” from the Christian faith, there is a brand of blatant deception occurring today in the arena of American History. For the sake of politics, modern history professors and political pundits on the left like to play games with the “inconvenient truths” found neatly printed upon the pages of endless books on the shelves of the Library of Congress. They particularly like to meddle with the original intent of the constitution, and I take issue with their “rub-out God” revisionism with equal passion. Why? Because it is NEVER a good thing to distort history for present-day personal expedience. Distortions of truth equal lies, and lies – even in the year 2008 – are BAD! I resent untruths and seek to correct them. That is my nature as a pastor. It’s what I do for a living.

Reason #2:

People believe the historical “authorities” who lie.

The fact that a growing militant minority of citizens in this nation continue to loudly proclaim a landslide of ignorance with regard to the Christian origins of America’s political system also goads me forward in my political endeavors. I intend to do my part, as do many other thousands of Christian leaders like me, however large or small that part may be, to bring America back to her roots. We ministers who participate as 1st-class citizens within the political system are not trying to “take-over” America! We’re trying to end a 61-year standoff between the “America that once was” (see Emerson v. Board of Education 1947) and a band of deceiving secularist hijackers who wish to hold this country hostage at their whim.

Reason #3:

A growing number of Iowa’s elected officials and unelected judges* ARE the historically ignorant, secularist hijackers, and they need to be replaced, beginning at the grass-roots level.

Enter PeaceMakers Political Action!

With all due respect to the “hijackers” who barrel forward, recklessly ignoring and/or distorting history – what is YOUR agenda? We all have one, and “inquiring minds want to know.”

Well, I’ve told you my agenda, so I might as well inform you of theirs (my detractors, I mean), because THEY certainly won’t. I can outline exactly what THEY intend to do. They will force a FEDERALLY ESTABLISHED RELIGION which trumps all other religions in America: the religion of SECULAR HUMANISM. This is the polar opposite of what the correct interpretation of “separation of church and state” meant in the context of Jefferson’s Danbury Baptist letter. And they have and will continue to do it successfully if they can get people like me to shut up and go away. Since we won’t, they’re willing to trash the 1st Amendment in hopes of forcing us to shut up and go away. (Has anyone else noticed how often the 1st Amendment is attacked and undermined by the left in this country? In their minds it’s okay to display a statue of Jesus smeared with elephant dung (in the name of “free speech”), but apparently it’s NOT okay for a minister to teach against what his Judeo/Christian religion has called sin for 4000 years (aka homosexuality). Apparently art is protected “speech”, but speech is not protected speech. How about McCain/Feingold legislation – arguably the most unconstitutional law passed in American history? How about the Human Rights Commissions…the “thought-police” who support hate-crimes legislation around the globe?

I didn’t trade-in my 1st Amendment rights for ordination papers, and I can only hope to embolden my peers. I am fed up with radical secularism in America and hope that my fellow ministers will remember Gideon: drink your water, keep your eyes peeled, or be disqualified!

What is THEIR agenda? That’s what people OUGHT to be asking, and with fervor! Of course, it wouldn’t be grammatically correct for most members of the media to pose that question using the word “their.” It would have to be, “What is MY agenda?” And that would spoil all the fun of pretending to be impartial…

In my view, helping intelligent people that can pass a rather difficult world-view test run for elected office seems, among some other things, the most practical direction to take. As the chair of PeaceMakers Political Action, I intend to help many do just that – run for political office and win.

Be afraid, you secularist hijackers – be very afraid!

I suppose I wrote all that to say this: At the end of the day – without the Christian Bible, the Christian religion, and 19 ordained members of the clergy who signed the American Constitution – America would not exist, at least not in the form of the America we know today – one which possesses the longest lasting constitution in world history… and counting.

Reason #4:

More importantly, without modern-day Christians, who are willing to remain politically active – America will inevitably be destroyed from the internal depravity and hedonism which emanates from the festering source of radical secularism. (Albeit, a radical secularism that much prefers hiding behind the title “progressive.”)

Thank you PeaceMakers Political Action members for your financial gifts! “Keep those gifts and cards rolling in!”

* Every citizen of Sioux City should read the “…Motion to disqualify…Judge Bennett…” case No. 04-MC-0090 when considering the subject of fitness for the federal judiciary and the need for public accountability in the American judicial system.